Machine for affixing adhesive labels



. Sept. 10, 1929. A. s. MACLEAN 1,727,439

MACHINE FOR AFFIXIN G ADHESIVE LABEL5 Filed April 16, 1928 arm/r01Patented Sept. 10, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENTIOFFICE.

ASHLEY SEIGBERT MACLEAN, OF W'EMBLEY PARK, ENGLAND.

MACHINE FOR AFFIXING ADHESIVE LABELS.

Application filed April 16, 1928, Serial No. 270,478, and in GreatBritain February 28, 1 928.

This invention relatesto machines for affixing adhesive labels and hasparticular reference to such machines designed for aliixing postagestamps to envelopes and the like, and

5 it has for its object a construction which is of a simple and robustnature, is relatively cheap to produce, and which can be handled withcase and celerity.

I attain these ends by combining with any suitable form of mechanism forfeeding strips of stamps or other labels and for damping same as theyare delivered, a platform adapted to receive one by one the envelopes orother packets to which the label is to be fixed, said plaform beingarranged in front of the delivery side of the feeding and damping deviceand preferably having guides on its rear edge and one of its sides forthe purpose of positioning the envelopes or the like as'and when theyare placed on the platform. In

front of the which is connected with the driving mechanism of thefeeding device which is adapted to operate same when it is pressedinwards. The corner of the platform immediately in front of the feedingdevice is cut away to form a recess or aperture to enable the operatorto grip the envelope and the stamp delivered on to itby the operation ofthe aforesaid plungerabove and below between the thumb and forefinger ofone of his hands and thereby exert the necessary pressure to cause thestamp to adhere to theenvelope, and subsequently, without removing hishold, remove the envelope from the platform and at the same time detachthe stamp from the strip.

The present invention also embraces operating the feeding device by amovement of the platform.

In the drawing which illustrates a machine constructed according to thepresent invention for stamping envelopes and the like Figures 1, 2 and3, are views in plan, in side elevation and in front elevationrespectively of a complete machine arranged to deliver the stamps at theleft-hand side of the platform.

Throughout the views similar parts are marked with like numerals ofreference.

On a suitable base 1 is mounted the stamp delivery mechanism which maybe of any nism.

platform is mounted a plunger suitable type to deliver stamps one by onefrom a roll. The mechanism illustrated comprises a spindle 2 forcarrying the roll of stamps, drawing rollers 3 and 4., a guide roller 5,a damping roller 6, mounted in a trough 7, a ratchet and pawl drivinggear 8, a train of gearing 9, 10, and 11, driving the rollers 3' and 5,and a rocking lever 12 operating the ratchet and pawl gear. r

I In front of the delivery side of the stamp delivery mechanism is aplatform 13 mounted r on the base 1 with its rear edge in closeproximity to the delivery orifice of said mecha- The rear and left-handedges of the platform are preferably provided with stops to position theenvelopes or the likeas they are placed on it, which stops mayconveniently take hand rear corner of the platform 1 is cut away infront of the delivery orifice to form a recess or aperture 15 which willallow the operator to grip both the envelope and the stamp and exert thenecessary pressure to cause them to stick together and obtain a hold onthe envelope for the purpose of lifting the envelope from the platformand at the same time detaching the stamp from the strip.

Any suitable means may be provided for actuating the stamp deliverymechanism the preferred means being such as can be operated by the handof the operator that places the article to be stamped on the platform.Such a means is shown in the accompanying drawing and comprises asliding plunger 16 mounted under the platform 1 which is coupled to therocking lever 11 of a sliding plunger the actuating device of the stampdelivery mechanism and is provided with asuitably shaped presser plate17 which lies in the front edge of the platform. I i

In use the operator takes up by his right hand an envelope from a pileand places it in the platform pressing it up against the guides on thereariand left-hand edges by his forefingers and at the same time by GX-erting pressure on the presserplate of the front of i the form offlanges 14 and 141*. The leftplunger by his thumb imparts the necessarymotion to the roll of stamps to deliver a stamp on to the envelope.

As soon as the stamp has been delivered the operator grips the stamp andthe envelope by the thumb and forefinger of his lefthand-through therecess or aperture and presses them together atthe same time lifting theenvelope from the platform by a slight twisting movement which willdetach the stamp from the strip.

It will be appreciated that with this machine the hand of the operatorused for placing the envelope .on the platform is also used foractuating the feed delivery mechanism while the other hand is used forpressing the stamp on the envelope, for withdrawing the envelope fromthe platform and for detaching the stamp from the strip whereby aconsiderable amount of mechanism is dispensed with without minimizingthe speed at which the machine can be worked.

It will be understood that whereas the machine illustrated is aright-hand machine it may be made left-handed by reversing the positionsof the stamp delivery mechanism and the cut-away part of the platformrelative to the platform, and it will be obvious that the shape and sizeof the recess or aperture 15 in the platform 13Ymay be varied withinlimits. I

What I claim is 1. A machine for aflixing adhesive labels comprisingmechanism for feeding the labels and for damping the adhesive sides ofsame, a platform in front of the feeding mechanism having a portion infront of the delivery side of said feeding mechanism cut away to form arecess or aperture open to the adjacent side of the platform, and meansfor imparting motion to the feeding mechanism.

2. A machine for affixing adhesive stamps comprising a device forfeeding and damping ratchet and pawl gear for imparting a strip ofstamps, a platform in front of the feeding and damping device having aportion immediately in front of said device cut away to form a recess oraperture open to its adj acent' side, guide flanges on said platform,

and hand operated mechanism for imparting motion to the feeding gear.

3. In a machine for affixing adhesive labels the combination of a rollerad pted to support a rolled strip of labels, drawing rollers forimparting a' feeding motion to said strip, a damping roller over whichthe labels pass, a motion tothe drawing rollers, 21- platform in frontof the strip delivery mechanism having a por- "tion in front of thedamping roller cut away to form a recess or aperture open to itsadjacent side, and hand operated means for imparting motion to the feedgear.

4. In a machine for affixing adhesive labels thecombination of a rolleradapted to support a rolled strip of labels, drawing rollers forimparting mot-ion to said strip, a damping roller over which the stripof labels passes, a roller for keeping the strip in contact with thedamping roller, a ratchet and pawl gear for ent damping roller over thecombination of a roller adapted to support a rolled strip of labels,drawing rollers for imparting motion to said strip, an absorbwhich thestrip of labels passes, a roller for keeping said strip in contact withthe damping roller, a water trough into which the damping roller dips, a

. ratchet and pawl gear for imparting motion to the drawing rollers,gearing for coupling the roller coacting with the damping roller withone of the drawing rollers, a platform in front of the strip deliverymechanism hav ing a portion in front of the damping roller cut away toform a recess or aperture open to its adjacent side, guides on saidplatform, and means for imparting motion to the ratchet and pawl gearcapable of operation by the hand that places the article to which thelabel is to be affixed on the platform.

6. A machine for affixing stamps comprising a roller adapted to supporta rolled strip of stamps, drawing rollers for imparting motion to saidstrip, a damping roller over which said strip passes, a roller forkeeping said strip in contact with the damping roller, a water troughinto which the damping roller dips, gearings for driving said drawingrollers, a ratchet and pawl gear for imparting motion to said gearing,gearing for coupling the roller coacting with the damping roller withone of the drawing rollers, a platform in front of the stamp deliverymechanism having a portion in front of the. damping roller cut away toform a recess or aperture, guides on two edges of said platform, and aplunger mounted under said platform which is in couple with the ratchetand pawl gear of the feeding mechanism.

ASHLEY SEIGBERT MACLEAN.

